Maximum excitement, Joan Laporta will pay over €40M for his signing, it's the icing on the cake.

Joan Laporta has been trying for a long time, through his work and effort, to bring FC Barcelona back to the top. On a sporting level, and with Hansi Flick, he has managed to start bringing sporting successes. In addition, he has also managed to stabilize the situation economically after the club reached the brink of collapse during previous administrations.

Now Joan Laporta doesn't want to relax: his goal is to win the Champions League, although to achieve it he knows reinforcements will have to arrive. The defensive area, after Iñigo Martínez's departure, might need the presence of a new top-level center-back to accompany Pau Cubarsí on big European nights. So far, Flick still isn't sure if Eric, Araújo, or Christensen should fill that position.

This is why Joan Laporta is determined to put an end to this dilemma, and to do so he has set his sights on Borussia Dortmund. At the German club, there is a center-back who Flick really likes: young, left-footed, good at playing out from the back, and not excessively expensive. His estimated market value is about 40 million, although Laporta is even willing to pay more to bring him to Camp Nou.

Nico Schlotterbeck is highly regarded by Joan Laporta

The 25-year-old German international is key in Borussia Dortmund's defense, and his powerful physique allows him to dominate aerial play, but he is also precise with the ball at his feet. Nico Schlotterbeck is a center-back with great authority and very reliable in one-on-one duels, exactly what Flick is looking for. It is true that in recent weeks several names have been mentioned, such as Guéhi or Bastoni, but Joan Laporta and the board's favorite is Schlotterbeck, from Borussia Dortmund.

It is true that Nico Schlotterbeck suffered a serious injury last season, tearing his meniscus and missing the season from April onward. He has been away from competition for almost half a year, but he is already back and leaving a very good impression. Joan Laporta is surely paying close attention to his progress during the current season to see if the injury has left any aftereffects.

For now, what is clear is that Nico Schlotterbeck is highly regarded by Joan Laporta. FC Barcelona's president considers him the icing on the cake, a defender for both the present and the future who has all the necessary characteristics to help Pau Cubarsí. It is very likely that, if Schlotterbeck recovers 100%, Deco will start talks with Borussia Dortmund to assess his signing: his market value is only 40 million.